Zagame’s House challenges the norm of hotel amenity offerings

Prioritising unique experiences over the standard amenities, Zagame’s House redefines what a boutique hotel looks like. With exciting cultural events, local art installations, an in-house wine sommelier and iridescent selfie lighting in each suite, the new 97-room boutique hotel masterfully breaks the cookie-cutter approach to regular amenity offerings and creates a truly Melbourne experience.

Zagame’s House is the newly renovated development which occupies a prominent Lygon Street site. The property has been owned by the Zagame family for 16 years and is set within the lively cultural hub of Carlton.

Urban.com.au was recently invited to take a tour of Zagame’s House within a few days of the hotel opening, and we were impressed by the way the team have created an entirely new experience within the hospitality sector.

SUSTAINABILITY

With sustainability taking a central focus in the fit-out of Zagame’s House, it was great to discover the effort taken by the company to adopt sustainable practices in all areas of operation - from cleaning systems right through to food preparation.

Zagame’s House uses Nanotechnology coatings on all bathroom surfaces within the hotel, to provide an antibacterial layer of protection, which reduces the need for cleaning chemical use. In addition to this cutting-edge technology, Zagame’s House has also adopted an eWater sterilisation system which works by combining water, salt and an electrical charge to split positive and negative ions into two highly effective methods of cleaning: alkaline for all-purpose cleaning and acidic for sanitising. Other sustainability systems in place include low flow faucets in bathrooms, recycling and waste reduction programmes and low food waste strategy through the use of fresh seasonal produce. The hotel management also welcomes guest feedback with regard to new environmentally friendly initiatives to help reach the company's sustainability goals.

ART

Another feature the hotel embraces is art and culture. Commissioned work featured around the hotel includes works by the likes of Ryan Foote, Rosie Wood, Lulu Zagame and Karl Gordon. Majority of the designer furnishing were sourced by the Zagame brothers, and a range of books and trinkets fill shelves throughout the hotel, providing elements of curiosity and encouraging guest to feel at home.

AMENITY

Rather than following the customary approach to hotel amenity choices, Zagame’s House priorities experiences over equipment. Lord Lygon is the luxury in-house wine bar which houses a comprehensive wine catalogue as well as a resident wine sommelier. Guests and locals will be invited to share evenings sampling the finest vino, enjoy local cuisine prepared by world-class chefs, and host meetings in style.

"My favourite part about the Lord Lygon wine bar is the relaxed atmosphere, all day dining, cosy feeling and a really ergonomically designed bar and dining area."

- Marcus Radny, Manager and Sommelier (ex-Royal Mail Hotel)

The hotel’s lobby could easily be mistaken for a luxury lounge, with roaring fires, plush lounge suites and an elegant bar serving top quality coffee and desserts. Guests will also be invited to attend a range of events from art exhibitions to masterclasses, as well as the opportunity to host business conferences or even weddings. Each room also contains a glowing selfie/makeup mirror, Marshall Bluetooth sound system, a cocktail making kit, Cowshed beauty products and plenty more to be discovered.

Lead image credit: Zagame's House